Microorganisms on food products as well as other common products are a large cause for the spread of certain illnesses. Due to bacteria and pesticides that are often present on fruits and vegetables, it is not uncommon for the person who handles and/or ingests the food to become seriously ill. According to the CDCP, in the years 1996-1997 alone, there were 76 million cases of food-borne illnesses in the United States alone. Sickness results from such food-borne bacteria as salmonella, listeria, campylobacter, Escherichia coli 0157:H7, shigella, etc. These bacteria used to only appear on meats, but due to new fertilization techniques, they have begun to appear on other foods such as spinach and peanut butter. Also, other germs, such as strains of the flu, can be passed on to food by any person who handles that food.
Fear and worry about certain bacteria in fruits and vegetables can have an economic impact on the food industry. For instance, researchers working with Western growers estimated that the 2006 North American E. coli outbreak cost spinach farmers in the United States $74 million.
Harmful microorganisms do not just appear on food products, but also on many objects that come into contact with food, such as eating utensils and wash clothes. If these objects are not properly cleaned, the microorganisms they pick up can be transferred to food which will later be ingested. Other objects, though they rarely, if ever, touch food, such as children toys, mouth guards, oral equipment, and the like, can also carry dangerous microorganisms,
Also, the bacteria and other microorganisms on perishable foods are a main source of food spoilage. If the microorganisms on food were removed, the food would stay fresh longer.
The rate of sickness and its economic impact show that the current sanitation methods, such as washing food in a sink filled with water, is not sufficient. A method must be found to properly sanitize the food of harmful microorganisms.